Bottle cap machine



April 18, 1939- G. .1. AHLES 2,155,288

BOTTLE-CATF MACHINE Filed June 1, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet l 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. .1. AHLES- Filed June 1, 1958- BOTTLE CAP MACHINE April 18, 1939.

April 18, 1939. G. J. AHLES BOTTLE CAP MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 1, 1938 April 18, 1939 I J AHLES 2,155,288

BOTTLE CAP MACHINE Filed June 1, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Viz f5 Q L L 3 5 I April-18, 1939. G. J. AHLES 2,155,283

BOTTLE -CAP MACHINE Filed June 1, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Gram/5M4; as;

9 Sheets-Sheet e April 18, 1939. i G. J. AHLES BOTTLE CAP MACHINE Filed June 1, 1958 aria aw F u m" M M W IIIII April 39- G. J. AHLES 2,155,288

- BOTTLE CAP MACHINE Filed June 1, 1938 a Sheets-Sheet 7 g] 1 W64 view Mac may April 18, 1939.' G J. AHLES BOTTLE CAP MACHINE 9 Sheets-SheetB Filed June 1, 1938 w y 6 a z m w 6 2 7 My Q/W VI. /72

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April 18, 1939- G. J. AHLES 2,155,288 I BOTTLE CAP MACHINE Filed June 1, 193's 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 gwue/wtom GEO/76E 1 4; 5.5,

Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE CAP MACHINE George J. Ahles, Rome, N. Y., assignor to Fort Application June 1, 1938, Serial No. 211,289

21 Claims.

This invention relates to capping machines and more particularly to an improved means for cutting and securing a lifting tab to a cap which is used on a bottle, paper receptacle or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved means in the form of a tab cutting and stapling head which is so constructed as to progressively form a staple, cut off a predetermined length of tab and then staple the tab to the sheet from which the disc forming the cap is adapted to be blanked out.

Another object of this invention is to provide in combination a tab cutting and stapling means together with feeding means for the tab and feeding means for the wire from which the staple or staples are formed, the means being so constructed that one or more tabs may be stapled in a single operation depending upon the size of the closure or cap so that a single machine may be readily adjusted to meet the varying conditions arising from different sizes of caps Which are to be formed by the blanking out portion of the machine with which the tab cutting and stapling mechanism is associated.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved adjusting means for the combined stapling and cutting head or heads so that these heads or a single head may be accurately adjusted to secure the tab to the desired portion of the sheet from which the cap is cut out with a minimum of scrap material being formed from the sheet provided for the formation of the cap.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved head for the formation of the staple so that the staple will be formed after a predetermined length of wire has been cut off during one cycle of the movement of the head and the formed staple will then be automatically driven into the tab which is cut off substantially 4o simultaneously with the driving of the staple into the cap sheet.

Another object of this invention is in the provision of an improved wire cutting means and staple forming means whereby the wire forming means consists of a pair of blades or slide bars which are so constructed that they may be interchanged one with another or that they may be ground off at their lower or cutting ends and then adjusted relative to the remaining mechanism in order that the staple cutting and forming means may be kept in such a condition as to cut off and form the staple in a proper manner.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a head of this kind an improved shearer for cutting off the tab which is so constructed as to permit the clean cutting of the strip from which the tab is formed.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved staple forming means and a tab forming and cutting means which is so constructed that these means may be removed as a unit from the machine without disturbing the remain ing parts of the machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which will permit the speeding up of the cap forming operation, this being possible by reason of the cutting of the tab and the stapling thereof in a single stroke of the head operating means.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved head supporting means and an operator therefor which is so constructed that the head or heads may be mounted on an oblique angle to the line of travel of the cap sheet, so that where at least 2 heads are attached these heads Will be disposed one forwardly of the other and engageable with the supply sheet from which the cap is formed laterally of the other head so that the caps in one row will be staggered from the caps in the other row thus eliminating a considerable amount of scrap.

To the foregoing objects and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein embodiments of the invention are shown, but it is to be understood that changes, modifications and variations may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of the invention assembled,

Figure 2 is an assembly view partly in plan and partly in section through the ram or plunger,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the stapling device removed from the remainder of the mechanism,

Figure 4 is a front view thereof,

Figure 5 is a plan thereof,

Figure 6 is a bottom plan thereof,

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view from the rear of the stapling device,

Figure 8 is an enlarged section on line 88 of Figure 3,

Figure 9 is a detail section on line 9-9 of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a detail showing one of the channel clamps,

Figure 11 is an enlarged section on line ll--Il of Figure 3,

Figure 12 is an enlarged section on line |2--l2 of Figure 3, a

Figure 13 is an enlarged section on line l3-l3 of Figure 3, V

Figure 14 is an enlarged section on line l4--l4 of Figure '7 and also showing certain associated parts of the device, the parts being shown in the normal position of the parts of the machine,

Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 14 but showing the parts in the position assumed when a length of wire is severed and prior to the bending of the wire,

Figure 16 isa View of a further position of the parts shown in Figure 14, all parts being ready for the driving of the staple,

Figure 17 is a view substantially on line ll-ll of Figure 14 and showing the wire ready for severing,

Figure 18 is a View similar to Figure l7 but showing the wire severed and ready for bending,

Figure 19 is a detail view showing the bending of the wire,

Figure 20 is a detail view showing the staple driven, but not yet clinched,

Figure 21 is a detail view showing the staple clinched,

Figure 22 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22-22 of Figure 2,

Figure 23 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 23-23 of Figure 2,

Figure 24 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 24-24 of Figure 1,

Figure 25 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 25-25 of Figure 2,

Figure 26 is a sectional View taken on the line 28-26 of Figure 1, and

Figure 27 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the operating means for the clinched dogs,

Figure 28 is a detail top plan of one of the clincher plates,

Figure 29 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 2929 of Figure 2,

Figure 30 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3l-30 of Figure 28, a

Figure 31 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the connection between the adjusting screw and theslide block, and

Figure 32 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 32 -32 of Figure 29.

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 25 designates generally the frame of a machine having a means constructed according to an embodiment of this invention mounted thereon. The frame 25 is provided'as shown in Figure 1 with an upstanding support 25 provided with a pair of vertically disposed spaced apart and outstanding guide supporting members 21. A guide bar or member 28 is adapted to engage against a supporting rail or member 7 21 and also against the adjacent face of the vertical supporting member 26. The guide member 28 is secured in vertical position by means of bolts 29. Each guide member 28 is provided in the vertical edge thereof with a V-shaped channel 30. A sliding head 3| slidably engages the guide channels or grooves 3|] and is provided with a block 32 on the outer face thereof, which is connected to a reciprocating operator 33. The operator 33 is adapted to be connected to a cam member carried by an operating shaft disposed above the slide member 3|v so thatby each rotation of the driving shaft and cam the operator 33 will be vertically reciprocated. The operator 33 is rockably connected to the block 32 by means of a bearing structure 34 carried by the lower end of the operator 33.

The frame 25 is provided in the upper surface thereof with a channel 35 which extends obliquely across the top of the frame 25, the angle of this channel 35 being substantially sixty degrees the purpose for which will be hereinafter described,

A stitcher base 36 is secured to the frame 25 by means of bolts 31 engaging through outstanding lugs 38 provided on the opposite sides of the base 36. The intermediate or central portion of the base 36 is disposed in upwardly spaced relation to the top of the frame 25 so as to provide a passageway between the under side of the base 36 and the top of the frame 25 through which the strip of cardboard or other like material used in forming the caps is adapted to pass. As viewed in Figures 1 and 2 the cap sheet moves from the right to the left. The base member 35 is provided with an elongated slot or guide opening 39 disposed on the same angle as the guide channel 35 and the end portions 45 and 4| of the base 36 are provided with threaded sleeves or bushings 42 and 43 respectively. A pair of slide blocks 44 and 45 are slidably mounted in the guide slot or channel 39 and these blocks 44 and 45 are adapted to be adjusted one relative to the other by an adjusting means comprising a screw 46 which has its inner end swivelly secured to the block 44 by means of a notched plate 41 carried by the block 44. The block 45 is adjusted by means of a screw 48 swivelly engaging a plate 49 secured to the block 45. The screw members 46 and 48 are identical in con struction and the screw 46 has a collar 50 secured as by a pin 5! intermediate the ends thereof and this collar 55 is rotatably mounted in a bearing structure, 52 carried. by a slide or clincher plate 53. The slide plate 53 is slidable in the guide channel 35 and is provided with an elongated slot 54 therethrough and a bolt 55 engages through the slot 54 and is threaded into the top of the frame 25 so that the slide 53 can be adjusted longitudinally of the guide channel 35. The mounting for the screw 48 is similar in every detail as described for the screw 46. The head block 44 is provided with a vertically disposed opening 56 therethrough and the head block 45 is also provided with a vertically disposed opening 51. The openings 56 and 51 are substantially rectangular in plan and are disposed with opposite sides thereof parallel with the line of movement of the material beneath the base member 36. The block members 44 and 45 are adapted to have combined tab cutting or forming and staple stitching heads 53 and 59 respectively which are slidable in the openings 56 and 51 respectively. These heads 58 and 59 are identical in construction and the hereinafter described detailed construction of one of these heads will apply equally as well to the other of the heads. The head 58 is shown in more detail in Figures 14,15 and 16 The head member58 comprises a body or block 60 which is provided with a longitudinally disposed bore 6| extending vertically therethrough. A plunger 52 is slidable in the bore 6 and an upwardly extending rod or bar 63 is secured as by a pin 54 tothe plunger 62 which is seated in a bore 65 provided in the upper end of the plunger 52. slidable through a block 66 and the upper end of the rod 63 is provided. with threads 61 on which The bar or rod 63 is a wing nut 68 is threadably mounted. The wing nut 68 bears against the upper end of a compression spring 69 which at its lower end bears against the upper side of the block 66. The head member or body 69 is provided adjacent opposite sides thereof with guide channels 19 and H and vertically disposed staple cutting and forming bars 12 and 13 are slidable in the guide channels 19 and H respectively. The bars 12 and 13 are held in the channels 19 and H respectively by means of plates 14 and 15 respectively which are secured as by bolts 16 and 11 respectively. The staple forming and cutting members 12 and 13 are adjustably held with respect to the block 66 by providing teeth or serrations 18 and 19 on the bars 12 and 13 respectively. Holding plates 89 and 8| engage the serrations 18 and 19 and these plates or holding members 89 and 8| are secured in recesses 82 and 83 respectively which are formed in the opposite sides of the block 66. The holding plates 89 and BI are held in the recesses 82 and 83 by bolts or screws 84 and 85 respectively.

The lower portions of the bars 12 and 13 are formed with an inwardly offset wire cutting portion 86 and 81 respectively and these cutter portions are cut in from one side or edge of the respective bars as shown in Figure 13. These bars 12 and 13 are interchangeable one with another so that when one cutter portion of one bar becomes dulled, this bar may be interchanged with the other bar so that the cutter portion of this other bar may be used for the cutting of the wire. The bar 12 is provided adjacent the lower portion thereof with a pair of V-shaped grooves 88 disposed in parallel relation adjacent each longitudinal or Vertical edge thereof and the bar 13 is also provided with a pair of guide grooves 89 which are disposed on the inner side thereof. A stapling driver head 99 is slidable in opposed guide grooves 88 and 89 and this driver 99 is secured as by a pin 9| to the lower end portion of an inner plunger 92. This plunger 92 is provided with a reduced stem portion 93 engaging in a bore 94 provided in the plunger 62 and a spring 94 is disposed in the plunger 62 engaging at one end against the inner end of a bore provided therein and at the other end engaging against the inner end of the plunger 92. The spring 94 is adapted at a predetermined time in the operation of the head 58 to force the driver 99 downwardly and thus drive the staple S through the tab T which is formed by a tab forming or cutting means to be hereinafter described. The pin 9I is secured in the plunger 92 as by a set screw 96.

Referring now to Figure 1, the slide member 3! is provided with a horizontally disposed ram or operating member 91. This operating member 91 is constructed in the form of a horizontally disposed plate provided with a bracing member 99 and the ram or operating member 91 is provided with an elongated slot 99 therethrough which is disposed on substantially the same angle as the guide 35 and the guide 39. The ram or operating member 91 is provided with a groove or channel I99 in the under side thereof and is also provided with a pair of elongated slots I9! and I92 in that portion of the ram 91 outwardly of the opening 99 therein. A pair of head operating plates I93 are adapted to be secured to the ram 91, each plate I93 being provided with a key I94 in the upper side thereof which is engageable in the guide channel I99 and the plates I93 are held in adjusted position along the length of the guide channel I99 by means of a bolt I95 extending through the plate I93 and through a slot I9I or I92. The plate I93 is provided with an elongated arm I96 which extends across the opening 99 so that the free end of the plate I93 will be braced bv the under side of the ram 91. The plate I93 is also provided with a slot I91 which is adapted to receive the bar or rod 63. The under side of the plate I93 is adapted to engage the upper end of the plunger 62 so as to move the plunger downwardly upon downward movement of the ram or operator 91. When the ram or operator 91 moves downwardly the spring 69 will maintain the block 66 in contact with the upper side of the plate I93 so that the staple forming bars 12 and 13 are moved downwardly by expansion of the spring 69. The distance between the upper end of the plunger 62 and the under side of the block 66 is slightly greater than the thickness of the plate I 93 so that when the operator 91 is at its uppermost position or at the top of its stroke the under side of the plate I93 will be positioned in upwardly spaced relation to the upper end of the plunger 62. In this manner the initial downward movement of the plate I93 and the operator 91 will be followed by downward movement of the block 66 under the action of the spring 69 without initial movement of the plunger 62. The downward movement of the staple forming bars 12 and 13 will initially afiect a cutting of a length of wire as shown at S in Figure 18.

The wire W passes through a guide tube I 98 the inner end of which is formed as a stationary cutter so that the cutting side 86 of the blade or bar 12 will move downwardly across the inner end of the tube I98 and cut off the length of wire shown in Figure 18 which is formed into a staple. The Wire guide tube I 98 is secured in the block 44 adjacent the lower end of this block and the head 58 is provided with a recess I99 in the lower por-- tion thereof through which the guide member I98 extends so that the head 58 may have relative movement to the block 44.

The head or body 69 is provided with an elongated opening or slot I I9 in which a rock lever I i I is mounted. The rock lever III is provided with an inwardly extending boss II2 on its inner edge and a pin II3 engages through this boss H2 and through the body 69 so as to rockably mount the lever III in the slot or opening I I9. The lever III at its upper end is provided with an outwardly extending arm II4 which projects into a vertically extending passage II5 provided in the block 44 laterally of the opening 56 therein so that the arm II4 may slide vertically relative to the block 44. The lower end of the lever III is provided with an anvil IIB which projects inwardly of the inner vertical edge of the lever III and extends underneath the staple driver 99 and between the staple forming bars 12 and 13. In this manner when the wire W is fed into the head 58 through the tube I98 the staple portion S thereof will be disposed above the anvil II6 as shown in Figure 17. Upon downward movement of the staple forming members 12 and 13 the top of the anvil I I6 will form the bight of the staple and the parallel legs thereof will be formed by the bars 12 and 13 moving downwardly on opposite sides of the anvil II6 which at this time isstationary in the head 58. After the U-shaped staple has been formed with the parallel legs of the staple engaging in the V-shaped grooves 88 and 89 of the staple forming members 12 and 13 respectively, the head 58 will be moved downwardly with the block 44 stationary so that the releasing arm II4 of the lever I II will contact with a releasing pin I I1 which is mounted in the block 44 across the opening H5 therein. The lever III is biased to an operative position by means of a spring IIB which is carried by a pin H9 in the slot or opening III]. The spring I18 is substantially V-shaped as shown in Figures 14, and 16 and engages the upper edge of the arm I I4. When the anvil H6 is swung to. a released position by means of the releasing pin II1, the spring 94 which at this time is under tension, will automatically force the driver 90 downwardly and drive the staple S through the tab T. The staple S will be held against tilting movement during the driving thereof by reason of the fact that the parallel legs of the staple engage in the grooves 88 and 89 of the staple forming bars 12 and 13.

The clincher plate 53 is provided below the head 58 with an opening I20 in which a pair of stapling dogs I are disposed. The stapling dogs I2I are pivctally mounted on pins I22 carried by a plate I22 and each stapling dog is provided with divergent slots I23. A clinching dog operating member I24 is disposed below the two dogs I2I and is provided with an arcuate upper surface I25 and recessed side portions I26 so that the slotted portion of each dog will be received in the areuate portion I25 and the recessed portion I26 in order to rock the staple forming portion I21 of the dogs I2I upwardly into a substantially horizontal position as shown in Figure 21. The clinching head or operating member I24 is provided with teeth or serrations I28 on a side thereof which mesh with teeth I29 carried by a clinching shaft I39. The clinching shaft I30 has a crank i3i secured to one end thereof and an operating member I32 is pivotally secured to the crank Isl and is connected by a link structure to the overhead operating shaft (not shown). The shaft I30 extends longitudinally of the guide as shown in Figure 2 below the blocks 44 and 45 and is rockably mounted in the clincher plate 53.

When the plate I03 moves downwardly the under side thereof will engage the plunger 62 and move the plunger 62- downwardly in the head 58. The plunger 62 is provided at a point adjacent the upper portion thereof with a longitudinally extending recess I33 and a pin I34 carried by the head 59 engages in the recess I33. At the time the plunger operating plate I03 initially engages the plunger 62 the plunger 62 isin an uppermost position with the lower end of the recess I33 engaging the pin I34. The plunger 62 is also provided below the recess I33 with a longitudinally extending slot I35. The plunger 62 is also provided on the side opposite from the slot I35 with a slot I33 through which the pin 9I engages so that the plunger 62 may have movement independent of the pin ill and the driver 90.

A substantially stationary cutter I31 is mounted in the lower portion of a supporting member I38 which is disposed in a recess I39 provided in the head 58. The blade supporting, member I38 is provided with a transversely disposed recess I40 through which a pin I4I extends. The pin MI is carried by the block 44 and is provided for the purpose of holding the blade supporting member I33 against movement relative to the block 44. The supporting member I38 at its upper end is provided with a reduced portion I42 which is offset laterally from 'theinner vertical edge thereof and from the slot I35. A releasing and locking dog I43 is mounted in the recess I39 being pivoted on' a pin I44 carried by the head 58. The dog I43 is provided with a slot I45'extending-upwarclly from its loweredge in which thereduced portion I42 of the blade supporting member I35 is adapted to engage when the pawl I43 is in released position. The pawl or dog I43 is provided with an inwardly extending lug I46 which is adapted to engage in the slot I35 of the plunger 62 whenthe plunger 62 is in its uppermost position. The upper face of the lug or cam I46 is inclined to the vertical so that when the plunger 62 moves downwardly the upper cam face thereof will engage the upper end of the slot I35 so that the dog I43 will be rocked on the pivot I44 to a position where the slot I45 will be in alignment with the reduced upper end portion I42 of the blade supporting member I38. In this position the head 58 may be moved downwardly in the block 44.

A block I41 is mounted in the lower portion of the head 58 below the lower end of the plunger 62 being disposed in the lower end of the bore 6 I thereof. ing member I41 is held against movement relative to the head 58 by means of a pin I48 extending horizontally through the block or supporting member I41. A blade I49 is carried by the supporting member I41 in a position to confront the blade I31 so that when the plunger 62 moves downwardly, the lower end of the plunger 62 will engage the upper side of the supporting member I41 and move the head 53 downwardly so as to carry the blade or cutter I49 past the cutter or 3 the tape .T may extend through the supporting member I38 above the blade I31. The under side or lower end of the supporting member I41 is cut off as at I54 on an angle substantially coincident with the angle of the upper face of the opening I53 in the supporting member I38, the face I54 being inclined downwardly from the cutting edge of the blade I49. The supporting member I41 is also provided with a recess I55 on the side thereof confronting the anvil II6 so that the bill of the anvil H6 will be received in the recess The dog I43 is biased to a locking position by means of a spring I56 which may be tensioned by a bolt or a screw I51 which is threaded into the head 58 through the upper end thereof.

The cutters. I31 and I49 are adapted to cut off a predetermined length of tape from the supply strip which is fed through the guide openings I52 and. I53sand substantially simultaneously with the cutting off of the tab. T the staple, driver 90. will be released by means of the releasing pin II I asshown in Figure 16. At this time the blade I49 moves downwardly past the blade I31 cutting off the tab T and at substantially the same time the spring 94 forces the plunger 92 carrying the driver 50 downwardly so as to drive the staple S through the tab T and also through the cap sheet C. The staple S is then clinched on the cap sheet C by the clinching means hereinbefore described. 7

The tab strip'is fed to the head 58 by means of aplurality of feeding rolls I58 and I59 which are driven from a shaft I60. is provided at one end thereof with gear teeth I6 I- meshing with gear teeth I62 disposed at the The block or movable blade support- The upper roll I58 same end of the roll I59. Preferably, the upper roll I6I is mounted for movement toward or away from the lower roll I 59 under the action of a roll tensioning lever I63. Atape guiding member I64 is supported on the intake side of the rolls I58 and I59 so as to feed the tape T between the two rolls and a tubular guide member I65 extends outwardly of the discharge side of the rolls I58 and I59 and extends to a point closely adjacent the head 58. This tube I65 extends below the base 36 and above the cap sheet C. The tape guiding tubes I64 and I65 are preferably mounted on a single support and are adapted to be shifted longitudinally of the rolls I 58 and I59 so as to compensate for the shifting of the head supporting block 44 under the action of the adjusting screw 46. The head 59 has guiding tubes I66 and I61 associated therewith similar to the guide tubes I64 and I65 and these guide tubes I66 and I61 are secured to a common base or supporting member and are also mounted for adjustment lengthwise of the feeding rolls I58 and I59 to compensate for the adjustment of the head supporting block 45.

The wire W is fed to the head 58 through a guide tube I68 which is disposed in alignment with a guide tube I69 carried by a block I10. The block I10 is adjustably carried by a guide means I1I being adjustable longitudinally of the guide means I1I by means of an adjusting screw I12. A pair of wire feeding rolls I13 and I14 are adapted to feed the wire through the guide tube I 69. The feeding roll I13 is mounted on a drive shaft I15 and a gear I16 carried by the shaft I15 meshes with a gear I 11 mounted on the same shaft as the roll I14 so as to drive the roll I 14 with the roll I13. A supply reel or drum I18 is mounted on a shaft I19 carried by a bracket I secured to the frame 25 and the wire from the drunr or supply member I18 passes through a guide tube I8I engaging a resilient arm I82 which is fixed to the supporting bracket I83. The bracket I83 carries the shaft for the lower feeding roll I14 and this bracket I83 is bolted as by bolts I 84 to the frame 25. A wire guide tube I85 is carried by an adjustable member I86 engaging in guide members I 81 similar to the guide members I1I. The block or tube supporting member I86 is adjustable lengthwise of the guide and supporting means I81 by an adjusting screw I88.

The head 59 is provided with a wire feeding means comprising upper and lower feeding rolls 89 and I90 respectively, the upper roll I89 being fixed to the shaft I15. A guide tube I9I is car- .ried by an adjustable block I92 similar to the block I 10 and a similar block I93 carries a tube guiding member I94. The wire for the head 59 is taken off of the supply reel I95 and passes through a tube I96 carried by a resilient arm; I91 which is formed with the arm I82. In practice the two arms I82 and I91 are formed from a single piece of material and are disposed in outwardly divergent relation as shown in Figure 1 being bendable longitudinally as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The adjusting screws I12 and I88 are preferably provided with right and left hand threads so that rotation of these screws will move the blocks engaged therewith in opposite directions. A centrally disposed wire guiding tube I98 is carried by a block I99 engaging in the guide means HI and a similar block 200 is disposed in the guide means I81 and is provided with a guide tube 29I The blocks I99 and 200 are preferably swivelly engaged with the adjusting screws I12 and I88 so that rotation of these screws will not effect movement of the blocks I99 and 200. The tubes I98 and 20I are used where a single stapling head is used in place of the two stapling heads 58 and 59.

The shaft I15 at one end thereof is provided with a bevelled gear 202 which is fixed thereto and which meshes with the gear 203 carried by the tape feeding shaft I60. The shaft I15 is also provided with a ratchet 204 and a dog 205 carried by a crank arm 206 meshes with the ratchet 204 so as to progressively rotate the shaft I15 and simultaneously feed the wire W and the tape T to the stapling heads 58 and 59. The crank or lever 206 is rocked by means of a link structure connected to the driving means (not shown). The feeding roll I14 is tensioned against the feeding roll I13 by means of a spring 201 which is fixed at one end to the base portion of the bracket I83 and which engages at the opposite end a selected notch in an outstanding arm or bar 208. The bar or rod 208 is fixed to the eccentric mounting for the roller I14. The roller I90 is tensioned by a similar means and the lower roller associated with the upper roller 209 for the central guide means I98 is also provided with a similar roller tensioning means to that shown for the roller I14. The shaft I 15 is journalled in bearings 2I0 and 2 which are fixed to the frame 25 of the machine and the bearing 2I0 also carries a bearing 2 I2 for the adjacent end of the shaft I60 as shown in Figure 2.

The rollers I14, I 90 and the roller associated with roller 209 are rotatably mounted on eccentric sleeves or bearings 2I4 which are mounted on a shaft 2I3 journalled in the bracket I83. The tensioning rod 208 is secured to a sleeve 2| 4 so that the spring 201 will rock or tend to rotate the eccentric sleeve 2I4 and thus swing the roller I14 in the direction of the roller I13.

The tape tensioning roller I58 is mounted on a shaft 2I5 which is provided at each end with eccentrically disposed trunnions 2I6 which are mounted in bearings 2I1. The bearings 2I1 are vertically movable in vertically disposed guide members 2I8 provided with a cap 2 I9 and a spring 228 engages a bearing 2I1 and is tensioned by means of a threaded nut Hi. The tensioning lever I63 is secured to one end of the shaft 2I5 and is provided with a spring pressed pawl 222 which engages in a selected notch of a stationary quadrant 223 so that the upper roll I58 may be tensioned against the lower roll I59 or moved to a released position.

In the operation of this device, the tape T which is fed to the several heads 58 and 59 is taken from a supply reel (not shown) and passed through the feeding rolls I58 and I 59 and through the guide means I64 and I65 to the head 58. The tape T going to the head 59 passes through the guide means I66 and I61. Assuming that the ram or operator 91 is in an uppermost position in which position the operating plate I03 will be as shown in Figures 3 and 4, in this position the operating plate I93 is spaced upwardly from the upper end of the plunger 62. During the initial downward movement of the reciprocating plate I03 under the action of the downward movement of the ram or operator 91, the spring 69 will move the block 66 downwardly so as to move the staple forming bars 12 and 13 downwardly. The downward movement of the staple forming bars 12 and 13 will initially cut off the wire W, the bar 12 in this instance being the cutting bar, and further downward movement of these bars 12 and I3 will bend the opposite ends of the staple S as shown in Figure 19 about the anvil IIB. At this time the anvil H6 is in a position beneath staple driver 90 as shown in Figures 14 and 15. At the time the staple S is fully formed the plunger 62 is in contact with the plate I03 so that the plunger 62' starts its downward movement and when the plunger 62 has moved downwardly a distance sufiicient to engage the cam member I46 with the upper end of the slot I35 the dog I43 will be swung to a released position permitting the head '58 to move downwardly. At this time the plunger 62 will be in the position shown in Figure 15. The plunger 62 will then continue its downward movement until it reaches the position shown in Figure 16 where the movable cutter I49 has passed the stationary cutter I31 and cut off tab T as shown in Figure 16. At substantially the same time that this is done, the releasing pin II'I will engage the outstanding arm II4 of the rock lever III and swing this lever to a released position so that the tensioned plunger 92 may move downwardly so as to drive the staple S through the tab and also through the cap sheet C which is disposed beneath the head 58. When the head 58 moves downwardly the head 58 will be placed under the tension of springs 224 which at their lower ends engage the block 44 in sockets provided for that purpose and their upper ends engage outstanding pins 225. The springs 224 will upon upward movement of the operating member I03 raise the head 58 to the limit permitted by the cut-out portion 226 in one side of the head 58 and through which the pin I4I extends. When the plunger 62 is again raised under the action of the plate I03 engaging the block 68 and tensioning the spring 69, the spring II8 will swing the anvil IIB to an operative position beneath the driver 90 and when the lug I46 confronts the slot I35 the spring I56 will swing the dog I43 to a locked position as shown in Figure 14. In this locked position of the head 58, the head 58 is prevented from downward movement until the staple S has been initially formed during the initial downward movement of the plunger by the recess I33. After the plunger 62 is again in its uppermost position, the pawl 205 will turn the shaft I15 to the desired degree so as to simultaneously feed the desired'length of wire W to the head 58 and also turn the tape rolls I58 and I59 so as to move the tape T forwardly for the desired length of tab which will be projected below the lower end of the plunger 62 and the driver 90. When the staple S- has been driven through the tab T and the cap sheet C the clincher shaft I30 is rocked by rocking of the crank I3I so as to raise the clincher operating member I24 and swing the clincher dogs I2I to a clinching position as shown in Figure 21.

When it is desired to shift the head 44 the bolt 55 is loosened so as to release the clincher block or slide 53. The screw 46 may then be turned in the desired direction so as to move the block 44. Coincident with the movement of the block '44, the block 53 will move in the same direction through the medium of the swivel connection 50-52 so that in whatever position the block 44 may be moved, the clincher means will be disposed therebeneath. The teeth I28 on the clincher shaft or operator I30 are of such a length that plunger or dog operator I24 will at all times engage with the teeth I28.

It will, therefore, be seen that one or more of the stapling or stitching heads may be used or operated from the single operator or ram 91 and that where more than one head is used the several heads may be accurately adjusted relative to each other and to the cap sheet C so as to staple or stitch the tab T in the desired position on the sheet C.

What I claim is:

1. In a closure forming means and in combination, a pair of combined staple forming, staple driving and tab cutting heads, means supporting said heads whereby to permit adjustment thereof relative to each other, a single operating member for said heads, means for feeding a pair of tab strips to said heads, means permitting adjustment of said feeding means in accordance with the adjustment of said heads, means for feeding staple forming wire to said heads, and means permitting adjustment of means in accordance with the adjustment of said heads.

2. In a closure forming means and in combination, a pair of combined staple forming, staple driving and tab cutting heads, means supporting said heads whereby to permit adjustment thereof relative to each other, a single operating member for said heads, means for feeding a pair oftab strips to said heads, means permitting adjustment of said feeding means in accordance with the adjustment of said heads.

3. In a closure forming means and in combination, a pair of combined staple forming, staple driving and tab cutting heads, means supporting said heads whereby to permit adjustment thereof relative to each other, a single operating member for said heads, means for feeding staple forming wire to said heads, and means permitting adjustment of said latter feeding means in accordance with the adjustment of said heads.

4. Tab applying means for applying a tab to a closure disc, said means comprising a head member, a support for supporting said member for vertical movement, said head having a slot transversely of one face thereof, a pin secured to said support extending through said slot, a blade support engaging said pin, said head being slidable relative to said blade support, a stationary blade carried by said blade support, a movable blade carried by said head and coacting with said first blade to cut off a length of tab material, operating means for said head, and means carried by said head operable upon movement thereof in one direction to form and drive a staple through the tab. 7 5. In acap forming machine, a pair of combined stapling and tab cutting heads, means for supporting said heads, operating means for heads, and means for adjusting said heads relative to each other.

6. In a cap forming machine, a pair of combined stapling and tab cutting heads, means for supporting said heads in staggered relation to each other, a single operating means for said heads, and means for adjusting said heads relative to each other.

7. A combined staple forming and tab cutting head, comprising a body member, a plunger slidable in said body, a stationary cutter, a movable cutter carried by said head, a staple forming means carried by said head, means for initially actuating said staple forming means, means for actuating said movable cutter, and spring pressed staple driving means.

8. In a closure forming machine, means for forming and applying a pull tab to a closure comprising a head member, a stationary cutter, means supporting said stationary cutter, a movsaid latter feeding said able cutter, operating means for said movable cutter, a staple forming means carried by said head, operating means for said staple forming means, means holding said movable cutter against movement during operation of said staple forming means, means releasing said holding means at a predetermined moment in the operation of said staple forming means, and means for automatically driving the staple coincident with the cutting of the tab.

9. A combined tabcutting and stitching head comprising means for cutting a tab, means for cutting, forming and driving a staple to secure said tab to a closure cap, means holding said cutting means inactive during the cutting and forming of the staple, and means releasing said cutting means after formation of the staple.

10. In combination a frame structure, a plurality of tab cutting and stitching heads, means supporting said heads on said frame, means for adjusting said heads relative to each other, means supplying wire to each head, means supplying a tab strip to each head, means permitting adjustment of said wire and tab strip supplying means in accordance with the adjustment of said heads, a single operating means for said heads, and means permitting adjustment of said operating means relative to said heads.

11. A tab stitching head comprising a body member, supporting means for said member, a wire cutting member fixed relative to said body member, a pair of spaced apart staple forming bars slidably carried by said body member, operating means for said bars, one of said bars having a cutter portion coacting with said cutting member to cut a length of wire, an anvil disposed between said bars below said cutting member, means swingably supporting said anvil in said body member, means constantly urging said anvil to operative position, coacting means carried by said anvil and said first supporting means to move said anvil to released position, and tensionable driving means active upon movement of said anvil to released position for driving the staple through a tab.

12. A tab stitching head and cutting means comprising a body member, supporting means therefor, a plunger slidably carried by said member, operating means for said plunger, means operable upon movement of said plunger in one direction for cutting a tab, a slide member carried by said plunger, coacting staple forming means carried by said slide member and said body member, tensionable operating means for said slide member, tensionable staple driving means carried by said head, means for tensioning said driving means and means active upon movement of said body member relative to said supporting means for releasing said driving means.

13. A tab stitching head and cutting means comprising a body member, supporting means therefor, a plunger slidably carried by said member, operating means for said plunger, means operable upon movement of said plunger in one direction for cutting a tab, a slide member carried by said plunger, a pair of spaced apart staple forming bars carried by said slide member, a spring pressed lever swingably carried by said body member, an anvil carried by one end of said lever engaging between said bars, a releasing arm carried by said lever, a part carried by said body member engageable with said arm upon movement of said body member relative to said supporting means in one direction for swinging said lever and anvil to released position, and tensionable driving means active upon movement of said anvil to released position for driving the staple through the tab.

14. A tab stitching and cutting means as defined in claim 13 wherein said staple forming bars are provided with staple guide means for guiding the staple during the driving of the staple.

15. A tab stitching and cutting means as defined in claim 13 including means for adjustably securing said bars to said slide member.

16. A tab stitching and cutting means comprising a supporting block provided with an opening therethrough, a stationary cutter in said opening, means securing said cutter in said block, a body member slidable in said opening having a recess in a side thereof to receive said cutter, a movable cutter fixedly carried by said body member, a plunger slidable in said body member, operating means for said plunger, staple forming means carried by said body member, tensionable operating means for said staple forming means, means carried by said body member holding said body member inactive relative to said block until said staple forming means has operated to form a staple, and means for releasing said holding means whereby said body member may move relative to said block to thereby move said movable cutter past said stationary cutter.

17. In a bottle cap machine for operating upon a supply sheet, a guide means carried by said machine, a block slidably engaging said guide means, a combined staple forming, staple driving and tab cutting head slidably carried by said block, a staple clincher means disposed below said block, and means engaging said block and said clincher means for adjusting said head and clincher means relative to the supply sheet.

'18. In a bottle cap machine for operating upon a supply sheet, a combined staple forming, staple driving and tab cutting member, means supporting said member for movement toward and away from the sheet, and means engaging said supporting means for adjusting said supporting means in a plane parallel with the surface of the sheet.

19. In a bottle cap machine for operating upon a supply sheet, a combined staple forming, staple driving and tab cutting member, means supporting said member in a manner whereby said member may be laterally adjusted relative to the supply sheet. a tab strip guiding means. means permitting adjustment of said tab strip guiding means in accordance with the adjustment of said member, staple wire guiding means, and means for adjusting said staple wire guiding means in accordance with the adjustment of said member.

20. A means for applying a pull tab to a sheet comprising a frame, a combined tab cutting, staple forming and driving head, a guide means carried by said frame, a slide member engaging said guide means, means slidably mounting said head in said slide member and means engaging said frame and said slide member for adjusting said head relative to said sheet.

A pull tab applying means for a disc-shaped closure comprising a body member, a plunger slidable in said body member, a pair of spaced apart staple forming bars carried by said plunger, an anvil swingably carried by said body between said bars, one of said bars being engageable with a wire to initially cut the wire, said out Wire being bent over said anvil upon downward movement of said plunger and said bars, a second plunger slidable in said first plunger, a spring engaging against said second plunger and said first plunger, swing said anvil to released position whereby a driver in said body, means securing said driver said second plunger will be permitted to force to said second plunger, said first plunger having said driver downwardly to thereby drive a staple an elongated slot whereby said first plunger may through a tab and closure.

have movement independent of said second plunger, and means engageable with said anvil to GEORGE J. AHLES. 

